Results 6,901-6,920 of 11,812 for speaker:Denis O'Donovan

Seanad Public Consultation Committee: Farm Safety: Discussion (23 Mar 2015)

Denis O'Donovan: I thank Embrace Farm and Irish Rural Link, which are doing exceptional work throughout rural Ireland. I also thank Councillor Dolan. We are grateful for their attendance.

Seanad Public Consultation Committee: Farm Safety: Discussion (23 Mar 2015)

Denis O'Donovan: I thank the witnesses. We are very grateful for their submissions and their oral evidence, which will be taken on board and will form part of our eventual conclusions. We will now move on to group five, State agencies. The committee will now hear presentations from two State bodies which are central to the promotion and support of farm safety. The Health and Safety Authority, which was...

Seanad Public Consultation Committee: Farm Safety: Discussion (23 Mar 2015)

Denis O'Donovan: I invite Mr. John McNamara of Teagasc to make his opening statement.

Seanad Public Consultation Committee: Farm Safety: Discussion (23 Mar 2015)

Denis O'Donovan: Is it true that, by and large, the older farmer is being hit rather then the young person aged 16 or 17 who is driving a tractor? In terms of European averages per capita, how much above average is Ireland? Do the witnesses have those figures?

Seanad Public Consultation Committee: Farm Safety: Discussion (23 Mar 2015)

Denis O'Donovan: Dr. Meredith mentioned that farmers are inheriting landholdings at a much older age. Does this not contravene the Department's policy of incentivising farmers to hand over to their younger relatives as early as possible? During the past 25 to 30 years, the Department, under various Governments, along with farming organisations, have encouraged farmers to hand their farms over when their...

Seanad Public Consultation Committee: Farm Safety: Discussion (23 Mar 2015)

Denis O'Donovan: And safer farms.

Seanad Public Consultation Committee: Farm Safety: Discussion (23 Mar 2015)

Denis O'Donovan: That might contravene farm retirement schemes. A retired farmer is supposed to be retired. We will not go into it.

Seanad Public Consultation Committee: Farm Safety: Discussion (23 Mar 2015)

Denis O'Donovan: This question is directed at Mr. O'Halloran. Four years ago I visited a family about 48 hours after a young man had died tragically in a farm accident. I knew the family fairly well and wished to sympathise with them. The young man who died was 20 or 22 years of age. I met the young mother, who said she had been looking through her window for the past day or two at health and safety...

Seanad Public Consultation Committee: Farm Safety: Discussion (23 Mar 2015)

Denis O'Donovan: We are running more than half an hour late. Some groups have been here since 2 p.m., and we are going beyond our time remit.

Seanad Public Consultation Committee: Farm Safety: Discussion (23 Mar 2015)

Denis O'Donovan: I thank the witnesses for coming before the committee. Their evidence forms an important component of our work. I hope they did not think I was rushing them, but we want to bring in the final group, comprising two organisations with commercial development mandates and a medical doctor. The Irish Co-operative Organisation Society, ICOS, is an umbrella organisation which serves and promotes...

Seanad Public Consultation Committee: Farm Safety: Discussion (23 Mar 2015)

Denis O'Donovan: I thank Mr. Flanagan. I was complimenting Mr. Duffy, the young man from Ballybay, earlier. I think Mr. Flanagan has just broken his record. We will hear next from Professional Agricultural Contractors of Ireland.

Seanad Public Consultation Committee: Farm Safety: Discussion (23 Mar 2015)

Denis O'Donovan: The next speaker is Dr. Oladele Olajide Onada who has five minutes.

Seanad Public Consultation Committee: Farm Safety: Discussion (23 Mar 2015)

Denis O'Donovan: Before we move on to questions, I acknowledge the presence of another group, AgriKids, that came to us too late to be included today. I was in touch with Alma Jordan, who is in the Gallery. I acknowledge that the group is doing tremendous work in the area. The submission we received from the group will be incorporated in our report. As someone said earlier, no organisation or political...

Seanad Public Consultation Committee: Farm Safety: Discussion (23 Mar 2015)

Denis O'Donovan: We will address the questions presently. I wish to make a follow-on point to Dr. Onada. I would have thought that in modern times and in the 21st century the incidence of farmer's lung, as we call it, would have been eliminated. There has been a major shift from hay in the past 40 years, primarily to silage. A farmer may have become ill from working with hay 30 or 40 years ago, but I...

Seanad Public Consultation Committee: Farm Safety: Discussion (23 Mar 2015)

Denis O'Donovan: You can reflect on that and come back, Dr. Onada. Our rapporteur, Senator Conway, wishes to make an intervention.

Seanad Public Consultation Committee: Farm Safety: Discussion (23 Mar 2015)

Denis O'Donovan: When we are referring to the PAC we should be careful, because the PAC in this House means the Committee of Public Accounts.

Seanad Public Consultation Committee: Farm Safety: Discussion (23 Mar 2015)

Denis O'Donovan: Would it be fair to say that there are not so many fatal accidents for farm contractors and agricultural contractors in general in their work? Can they say it has not happened on their watch? They do their job, whether it is cutting silage or whatever, and most of the people involved are professional and have good gear. The days of the machines breaking down two or three times a day are...

Seanad Public Consultation Committee: Farm Safety: Discussion (23 Mar 2015)

Denis O'Donovan: Thank you. That concludes our work for the day. On behalf of the Seanad Public Consultation Committee, I thank all those who have contributed to today's meeting. I believe it has been a very valuable exercise for us all and we have heard a wide range of experience and opinion from various groups. Full account will be taken of today's discussions when the draft report is being prepared and...

Seanad Public Consultation Committee: Farm Safety: Discussion (23 Mar 2015)

Denis O'Donovan: We must not forget the Leader of the Seanad, Senator Maurice Cummins, who ran with the ball Senator Conway presented in the House and said the committee should look at this. If he had not accepted Senator Conway's suggestion, it might not have happened. I believe it is a very important day's work and I hope something good will come out of it. I apologise to Mr. Murphy. It was remiss of...

Seanad: Business of Seanad (11 Mar 2015)

Denis O'Donovan: I have received notice from Senator Terry Leyden that, on the motion for the Commencement of the House today, he proposes to raise the following matter: The need for the Minister for Justice and Equality and the Courts Service to refurbish the courthouse in Roscommon town to provide a modern courts service once Roscommon County Council's new civic offices are completed later this year.I have...